Last week, a tragic head-on collision in Van Nuys caused by a wrong-way driver claimed the lives of a 5-year-old boy and his grandmother. This heartbreaking accident has left the family in mourning and grappling with unexpected funeral costs.
The incident unfolded around 9 p.m. on June 29, when a white Honda Accord, heading northbound on Woodley Avenue, veered into the southbound lanes and collided head-on with a gray Honda Civic carrying four members of the Cordova family.
In the backseat of the Civic were 5-year-old Yoshua and his grandmother, Aura De La Cruz Calderon de Tobar, both of whom were fatally injured in the crash. Yoshua’s step-sister and her boyfriend, who were seated in the front, survived the collision with minor injuries.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the family with the financial burden of planning funerals for Yoshua and his grandmother.
Authorities have identified the driver of the Accord as a man in his 30s, but no arrests have been made as of yet. An attorney representing the Cordova family suspects that the driver was under the influence at the time of the crash, a detail that police are currently investigating.
This devastating incident serves as a grim reminder of the potential for life-altering consequences of irresponsible driving and the urgency of enforcing and adhering to traffic safety laws.